Kenya considers new visa which would let tourists visit other iconic wildlife countries

Tourists seeking to explore the fabled safari sites of east Africa may soon find their trips easier to organise as Kenya contemplates the introduction of cross-border visa that would allow holidaymakers to visit several countries in a region that is famed for its wildlife.

At present, travellers heading to neighbouring countries such as Kenya and Tanzania have to obtain a visa for each state – usually via payments made on airport arrival.

Roar power: Kenya is home to the fabled wildlife zone of the Masai Mara, with its large lion population

But Kenya is keen to create a more wide-ranging visa that would include some or all of the five nations – Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, as well as Tanzania and Uganda – that currently constitute the East African Community (EAC).

The scheme was announced at a travel conference in the capital Nairobi yesterday.

“We are already working on a joint strategy with other EAC member states that when we market our [Masai] Mara, we also convince the tourist to see gorillas in Uganda,” said the Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta.

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Kenya is home to the enormous wildlife zone that is the Masai Mara, where a wealth of major African creatures – including lions, wildebeest, cheetahs, elephants and leopards – roam wild. Tanzania plays a similar card with the vast ecosystem of the Serengeti, while Rwanda and Uganda have become increasingly well known for their gorilla populations.

A single EAC visa would theoretically allow overseas tourists to flit between the different countries for varied animal spotting, rather than focusing on a single destination.

A new visa would certainly be a boost for Kenya, which has suffered a series of blows which have damaged its reputation as a holiday option.

Damage: The fire that engulfed part of Jomo Kenyatta airport in August was another setback for Kenya

Last month, images of the three-day terrorist attack on the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi, which left over 70 people dead, were broadcast across the world, while August witnessed a significant fire at the city’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The kidnapping of British tourist Judith Tebbutt – and the execution of her husband David – by Somalian pirates in 2011 raised fears about the safety of beach resorts along Kenya’s coastline, especially in the north-east, where it shares a border with Somalia.

However, the president was keen to emphasise more positive Kenyan achievements.

“Airstrips in our major safari destinations have been refurbished,” he continued. “As a result, tourists will soon be able to traverse Kenya with ease, and in a manner that enables them to optimise their safari experience.”

The idea of a common visa for EAC countries was first mooted in 2005, but has been mired in disagreements among member states over fees, revenue sharing and security.